Submergible heater for stock tanks



D. MOSS SUBMERGIBLE HEATER FOR STOCK TANKS Dec. 26, 1950 Filed May 17, 1948 IN VEN TOR. 'DEA/V MOJ'J Q. m W1 c Patented Dec. 26, 1 950 SUBMERGIBLE HEATER FOR STOCK TANKS Dean Moss Tulsa, Okla., assignor to Heat- Equipment Company, Tulsa, Okla, a corporation of Oklahoma Application May l7, 1948, Serial No. 27,531

Claims. (Cl. 126360) This invention relates to heaters and more particularly to stock tank heaters utilizing liquefied petroleum gases, such as butane, propane, and the like.

The invention is generally concerned with a heater adapted to be immersed in a drinking trough for cattle in order to quickly and efficiently heat the water within the trough to prevent freezing under adverse climatic conditions during the winter months.

It is an important object of this invention to provide a stock tank heater utilizing a high velocity blower type burner in order to increase the velocity of the gases in the heater tank for quickly and efficiently effecting a heating of the water in the stock tank.

And still another object of this invention is to provide a stock tank heater having a burner disposed in such a manner to provide a helical travel of the heated gases throughout the heater in order to maintain a longer travel of the gases and produce a higher heating efliciency.

And still another object of this invention is to provide an improved combustion heater for stock tanks and the like, which may be easily installed and substantially eliminates moving parts.

And still another object of thi invention is to provide a stock tank heater which will be simple and inexpensive in manufacturing, eflicient in use, and durable in service.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be evident from the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an end elevational view of the heater.

Figure 2 is a sectional view through a stock tank showing the heater disposed therein in side elevation.

Figure 3 is a sectional detail View of one form of the burner.

Figure 4 is a similar view of another form of the burner.

Referring to the drawings in detail reference character 2 indicates a longitudinally disposed cylindrical tank supported byany suitable end frames or legs 4 and 6 respectively. The tank may be bolted, as at 8 to the end frames 4 and 6. The tank 2 is formed by casting from any suitable metal such as iron or the like and is preferably cast with an upward cylindrical extension In ad acent one end thereof. A similar extension I2 is also formed with the horizontally disposed tank 2 at opposite end from the extension Ill. The cylindrical extensions in and [2 are formed with flange portions [4 and It at their uppermost ends adapted to be connected with flanges f8 and 2% through bolts (not shown) of upwardly extending cylindrical stacks or flues 22 and 24 respectively.

From Figure 2 it will be apparent that the complete heater unit 2 is immersed or submerged below the water line 26 in a stock tank 28 for the purpose of heating the water in the tank, as will be hereinafter set forth. The vertically disposed cylinder It] acts as an intake conduit in which is disposed a burner element 30. The cylinder I0 is provided with an aperture 32 adapted to receive a threaded nipple 34 providing a threaded connection with the burner and an inlet supply conduit 36. The burner 30 is bent at substantially right angles to provide a downwardly extending burner tip 38 having an orifice 40 directed downwardly into the tank 2. The outer periphery of the burner 30 is threaded at 42 to which is secured a downwardly extending nozzle or cylinder 44 for a purpose as will be. hereinafter set forth.

In Figure 4 is shown a modification of the burner tube 44 in that the tube or nozzle is provided with a plurality of circumferential spaced apertures 46 for a purpose as will be hereinafter set forth.

A cylindrical flue 22 is secured by the flange l8 to the flange l4 and extends upwardly from the cylinder ID. The top of the cylindrical flue 22 supports a vertically extendin shaft 48 secured thereto by a bracket (not shown). A wind diverter 50 is freely rotatable, on the shaft 48 and is swingable to maintain the proper draft in accordance with the Wind direction to the burner tip 40 under all wind conditions. The diverter 50 particularly maintains a draft under high wind conditions, which would otherwise create a turbulence at the outlet. end of the exhaust flue 24 thereby causing a back draft and blow the fire out as will be hereinafter set forth. The exhaust flue 24 is secured by flanges 20. to. the cylindrical extension 12 and extends vertically upward therefrom above the tank 28, and although not shown extends upwardly at a height greater than the intake flue 22. The top or uppermost end of the exhaust flue 24 is provided with a hood 52 supported by a bracket 54 secured to the ex:- haust stack 24.

Operation Any suitable fuel such as liquefied petroleum gases, butane, propane, or natural gas, is supplied from a source not shown to the inlet conduit 36 and to the burner orifice 40. The burner is lighted by placing a lighted stick downward through the intake flue 22, and the lighting opening 33. Upon lighting the fuel at the orifice 40, the flame is directed downwardly through the cylindrical extension or pipe 44 and into the interior of the tank 2 to cause a heating of the normal air in the tank, which in turn will heat the water in the stock tank 28. The burner 30 is constructed in such a manner to provide a high velocity blower type burner to cause an increased velocity of the gases in the tank 2, whereupon such velocity creates a variation in the density of the gases or air in the tank and thereby provides a circulation of the heat throughout the tank so as to be exhausted out the exhaust stack or flue 24. The tangential disposition of the intake cylinder l0, relative to the tank 2, provides a tangential disposition of the burner 30, which in turn directs the flame into the tank 2 in a tangential path causing a spiral or helical travel of the heated gases throughout the tank thereby providing a longer travel to maintain a higher heating efficiency. The burner extension 44 shown in Figure 3 will cause an increase in the rate of propagation of the burning gases from the burner tip 30. However, the apertures 46 in the modified burner tube 44a of Figure 4 will spread the flame coming from the tip 40 to decrease the velocity of the gases below the normal rate of propagation depending upon the heating efficiency required.

It will be apparent that the stack 24 permits discharge of the exhaust gases from the tank 2. Furthermore the cylindrical extension I 2 is likewise formed with the tank 2 in a tangential position in order that the spiral or helical flow of the gases in the tank is not distorted and thereby permits a free flow of the exhaust gases through the exhaust stack 24. The tank is completely free of any baffles or other obstructive members which would tend to obstruct the spiral path of the heated gases, yet permits a longer flow through the tank to obtain the maximum heat efliciency therefrom. The free swinging feature of the wind diverter 50 regulates the amount of draft through the intake stack 22 for the burner tip 453 under all wind conditions.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present invention provides a stock tank heater adapted to be immersed in a stock tank for efficiently heating the water therein under adverse climatic conditions. Furthermore, the apparatus provides a high velocity blower type burner directing the flame into the heater tank in a spiral or helical path in order to heat the gases within the heater tank quickly and efficiently, yet direct the heated gases through longer travel in order to obtain the maximum heating efficiency therefrom. Furthermore, the burner may be regulated by utilizing a plurality of apertures in the burner tube extension to vary the velocity of the gases in the tank, depending upon the heating requirements. The apparatus is compact, inexpensive to manufacture and capable of easy portability from one stock tank to another. Furthermore, the apparatus does not use any moving parts and all parts are easily replaceable and do not require any adjustment. The heater requires minimum maintenance and is easy to clean and install.

Changes may be made in the specifications and drawings without departing from the spirit of the invention within the scope of the following claims, as set forth.

What I claim is:

1. A submergible heater for stock tanks comprising a longtiudinally disposed imperforate cylindrical tank, down draft flue means connecting with the tank and having a tank inlet tangentially disposed relative thereto, a burner disposed in the flue means, fuel inlet means connecting with the burner, said burner disposed in the flue means for directing the flame into the tank in a tangential path whereby the gases in the cylindrical tank are heated and caused to move in a helical path, and exhaust means horizontally spaced from the flue means and tangentially mounted on the tank.

2. A submergible heater for water stock tanks comprising a longitudinally disposed imperforate cylindrical tank, down draft flue means connected with the tank having an opening tangentially disposed thereto, a burner disposed in the flue means, fuel inlet means connecting with the burner, said burner disposed in the down draft flue means for directing the flame therefrom in a tangential path into the cylindrical tank whereby the gases therein are heated and caused to move in a helical path, and means cooperating with the burner for controlling the rate of fuel propagation, and exhaust means horizontally spaced from the flue means and tangentially mounted on the tank.

3. A submergible heater for water stock tanks comprising a longitudinally disposed imperforate cylindrical tank, down draft flue means connected with the tank and tangentially disposed thereto, a gas burner disposed in the flue means, fuel inlet means connecting with the burner, said burner disposed in the down draft flue means in a downward vertical direction for directing the flame therefrom in a tangential path into the cylindrical tank whereby the gases therein are heated and caused to move in a helical path, means cooperating with the burner for control ling the rate of fuel propagation, and an automatic wind diverter disposed on top of the down draft flue, and exhaust means arranged in horizontally spaced relation with the flue means and tangentially mounted on the tank.

4. A submergible heater for water stock tanks comprising a longitudinally disposed imperforate cylindrical tank, down draft flue means connected with the tank and having an inlet tangentially disposed thereto, a burner disposed in the flue inlet, gas inlet means connecting with 1 the burner, said burner disposed in the down draft flue means for directing the flame therefrom in a tangential path into the cylindrical tank whereby the gases therein are heated and caused to move in a helical path, means cooperating with the burner for controlling the rate of fuel propagation, an exhaust flue cooperating with the tank and disposed in a horizontally spaced relation with the down draft flue, said exhaust flue disposed in tangential relationship with the cylindrical tank.

5. A submerged heater for stock tanks comprising a longitudinally disposed imperforate cylindrical tank, down draft flue means connecting with the cylindrical tank and having an inlet tangentially disposed relatlve thereto, a ver-- tically disposed gas burner in the flue means, fuel inlet means connecting with the burner, said burner disposed in the flue means in a downward vertical direction for directing the flame into the 1, tank in an initial downward path and then in a 5 subsequent tangential path whereby the gases in UNITED STATES PATENTS the tank are heated and caused to move in a heli- Number Name Date cal path, and exhaust means horizontally spaced 286 341 Spear Oct 9 1883 mm the flue means and tangentially mounted 1,502I750 Secrest Ju1 29, 1924 the tank- 5 1,956,664 Blake May 1, 1934 DEAN MOSS- 2,300,981 Skolas Nov. 3, 1942 2,349,117 Siebring May 16, 1944 2,395,103 Clausen et a1 Feb. 19, 1946 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 10 FOREIGN PATENTS file of this patent: Number Country Date 10,283 Australia of 1932 

